“We are in a world that is connected, but is not communicating.” WorldCommunicateConnectedMuslimImperfect World Author:Tariq Ramadan
“The logic of freedom of religion implies freedom to be an atheist, even though, from a historical perspective, this has not been accepted in the Muslim world.” WorldPerspectiveLogicHistoricalAtheistAcceptedFreedom Of ReligionMuslim WorldHistorical Perspective Author:Tariq Ramadan
“The Islamic world is obsessed with the notion of strong leaders. This is a mistake. We don't need powerful leaders, but rather unconventional, progressive thinkers with the courage to open our minds.” WorldNeedsMindStrongPowerfulMistakeLeaderNotionObsessedIslamicProgressiveThinkerUnconventionalPowerful LeadersStrong Leaders Author:Tariq Ramadan
“This simple truth is the essence of my message to Muslims throughout the world: know who you are, who you want to be, and start talking and working with whom you are not. Find common values and build with fellow citizens a society based on diversity and equality.” KnowsWorldWantValuesSimpleCommonTalkingCitizensTruth IsDiversityMessagesEssenceFellowsWho You AreSimple Truths Author:Tariq Ramadan
“We need to revisit how the Prophet dealt with water, animals, in how he talked about slaughtering, caring for plants and so forth. Respect towards nature is a part of Islam. This is essential but Muslims are not aware. The whole world is talking about global warming and respecting nature but Muslims are not doing enough of that.” WorldNeedsEnoughWholeWaterAnimalTalkingEssentialsPlantIslamCaringWhole WorldProphetGlobal Warming Author:Tariq Ramadan
“I am dealing with people with both sides. I see people who are liberating themselves but they want to forget the world. And I see people who want to liberate the world but they forget themselves. Neither is the way I want to go.” PeopleWorldWayWantSidesForgetBoth SidesLiberatingDealing With PeopleForget The World Author:Tariq Ramadan
“Greek philosophy departs from the assumption that we can understand the world autonomously using our rational faculties. Islam is not saying this.” WorldPhilosophyIslamRationalGreekAssumptionFacultyGreek Philosophy Author:Tariq Ramadan
“We always think from where we come from. We always think from the sources that shape our understanding. I think about the world through the lens of my Islamic tradition. I accept this but I must also have intellectual humility.” ThinkingWorldUnderstandingAcceptingHumilitySourceShapesIntellectualTraditionIslamicLensesWhere We ComeIntellectual Humility Author:Tariq Ramadan
“"If we had not created a set of people against another the world would have been corrupt", and "against" here means two things: Against in the fact that they are challenging you with their diversity, challenging your intelligence and to challenge is not negative, it can be very positive depending on how you are challenged.” PeopleIfsWorldMeanHas BeensTwoFactsChallengesDiversityNegativeTwo ThingsVery Positive Author:Tariq Ramadan
“When I came here [to Malaysia] I heard that there is a problem with the concept of pluralism whereby pluralism is understood in a very narrow way, which I think is wrong. This is not to diminish your sense of truth in what you believe but to acknowledge the fact that we live in a world where we need to deal with pluralism. It's a fact.” ThinkingWorldWayNeedsBelieveFactsProblemDealsHeardUnderstoodConceptsAcknowledgeDiminishPluralismMalaysiaPluralism Is Author:Tariq Ramadan
“Just take Germany and the suffering of Jews during and after the Second World War. It would be legal to ridicule and to laugh at this suffering, but since it was such a trauma on the European conscience, no one is going to do it. It is an open scar, an open wound, an open reality.” WorldWarRealityWould BeSufferingLaughingConscienceJewTraumaWoundsWar Of The WorldsGermanyScarWorld War IRidiculeSecond World War Author:Tariq Ramadan
“I think many thinkers and activists, even in the Islamist parties like the Muslim Brotherhood, and the people who left the Muslim Brotherhood to follow Abou el-Fatouh, these people do have an understanding that the relationship between religion and the state must be re-thought and re-assessed. They're not going to use the concept of secularism in any straightforward way, because the concept of secularism is still far too loaded in that part of the world.” PeopleThinkingWorldWayStillsStatesUseLeftUnderstandingPartyConceptsActivistThinkerBrotherhoodSecularismStraightforwardLoadedIslamistsMuslim Brotherhood Author:Tariq Ramadan
“I don't like this vision that Turkey is successful because it is as successful as the western powers in economic terms. But I do think they are trying to find a new space in the multi-polar world, and this is what I am advocating. I don't think that Muslims have an alternative model.” ThinkingWorldTryingTermSpaceVisionSuccessfulEconomicModelsWesternAlternativesTurkeysAdvocating Author:Tariq Ramadan
“An 'Islamic economy' or 'Islamic finance' doesn't mean anything to me. But I do think that in the multi-polar world, it is time to find new partners, to find a new balance in the economic order. And this could help you to find an alternative way forward.” ThinkingWorldWayMeanHelpingOrderEconomyEconomicBalancePartnersFinanceAlternativesIslamicWay ForwardEconomic Order Author:Tariq Ramadan
“There is something which is going to be one of the main challenges in the Muslim world today, in the Muslim-majority countries in the Arab world, is the religious credibility. How are you going to react to what is said about Islam? So, by touching the prophet of Islam, the reaction should be, who is going to be the guardian?” WorldShouldSaidCountryTodayChallengesReligiousMajorityIslamReactionsProphetTouchingGuardianCredibilityWorld TodayArab WorldMuslim World Author:Tariq Ramadan
“What is irreversible in the Arab world is this intellectual revolution, the awakening that we can get rid of dictators. That is here, and the people have this sentiment and this political power. They feel that they can do it, and it's still there. At the same time, we don't know what is going to happen. So to be very quick by saying, "Oh, revolutions and Arab Spring," and - you know, what I'm advocating is to take a cautious optimism as the starting point of our analysis and to look at what is happening.” PeopleKnowsWorldFeelsLooksStillsHappensPoliticalCan DoRevolutionIntellectualSpringHappeningsOptimismStartingAwakeningAnalysisSentimentsDictatorCautiousStarting PointPolitical PowerAdvocatingIrreversibleArab WorldArab Spring Author:Tariq Ramadan
“The perception in the Arab world now is that we are having secularists against Islamists, and that's it. So the secularists are progressive; the Islamists are reactionary, conservative. This perception is wrong.” WorldPerceptionConservativeProgressiveReactionariesArab WorldIslamists Author:Tariq Ramadan
“The philosophical connection between the Islamic world and the West is much closer than I thought. Doubt did not begin with Descartes. We have this construction today that the West and Islam are entirely separate worlds. This is wrong.” WorldTodayDoubtConnectionsPhilosophicalWestIslamIslamicConstruction Author:Tariq Ramadan
“The month of Ramadan is the world's most widespread fast and yet its teachings are minimised, neglected and even betrayed (through literal application of rules that overlooks their ultimate objective).” WorldTeachingMonthsUltimateObjectivesApplicationBetrayedNeglectedLiteralRamadan Author:Tariq Ramadan
“A time will come when you're going to be numerous but your impact in the world will be like nothing” WorldImpact Author:Tariq Ramadan
“Pray in the night so that you can change the world in the day” WorldNightPrayingChanging The World Author:Tariq Ramadan
“Our task is to change the world for the better, not to adapt ourselves to the world.” WorldTasksChanging The WorldMuslimBetterment Author:Tariq Ramadan
